by T. C. Edge
"Impossible," Ford said. "I was careful. My face was concealed. All they'd have is a man in a black coat."
"And her?" He looked at me again, those intense eyes of his scanning, analysing. He began to nod to himself as he inspected my appearance. "The trench coat is good," he said. "Helps hide your figure. Dirty face. Messy hair. You look like a scavenger. Is that your intention?"
"Every time I come here," I said, nodding. "I guess I try to blend in as best I can."
"Hmmmm."
"Look, it'll be fine, Lenny," Ford cut in, diverting his attention away from me. "You're such a worrier. All it looks like is that the Reaper was chasing a scavenger. I made sure to scramble any nearby cameras so I wasn't seen heading into the alley. I knew what I was doing. They have nothing, trust me."
"It isn't me you have to convince," Lenny said. "Harkin will hear about this soon. He'll want to talk to you about it immediately."
"Harkin," I said, looking to both of them. "My mother mentioned him. He's your leader? He's still alive?"
"Still alive?" scoffed Ford. "You bet. I call him Roach sometimes. You know, for cockroach. Because he's so hard to kill."
Lenny looked at me again and shook his head. "He doesn't call Harkin Roach," he informed me, deadpan. "He wouldn't dare. At least not to his face."
"I never said it was to his face," Ford added. He dropped me a wink. "Only behind his back."
"So...he's a badass, then?" I asked. "Someone to tiptoe around?"
"Well, no, I wouldn't say that," Ford said. "Depends on the situation. All good leaders need to have a few layers, I guess. He's got a good sense of humour, actually. But yeah, has a pretty fierce bark, too. And bite, when the need arises."
"Yeah, well you'd better get ready for a bit of that," Lenny said. "You were told to bring the girl in quietly. Now half the Reapers in the Bends are gonna be on the hunt. It's not what we need right now, Ford."
"Lenny, I know." Ford's words came more forceful, his mouth tightening. "I'll get all this from Harkin, and with all due respect, I don't need it from you too. I know as well as anyone what's happening out there. And what happened tonight...it was unavoidable."
The two men stared at one another for a moment, before Lenny nodded and stepped back. "Like I said, you're gone at first light. Just pray the Reapers don't track you here tonight. We can't afford to lose another safe-house because of you."
He walked through the door, shutting it loudly, as Ford scowled after him. I left it a moment before speaking. I felt like I'd been thrust right into the middle of some heated family drama.
"Er, anything I should know?" I said. "What happened with the other safe-house?"
"Oh, nothing," he grunted. "He's just being overly dramatic, as usual." He looked at me. My eyes called silently for a full answer. "I...I was a bit loose one night, that's all. Was tracked to a safe-house, and we had to abandon it. Like I said, it happens. We've got plenty of others, don't worry."
Don't worry. He seems to say that a lot. Kinda makes me feel the opposite...
"And...tonight?" I asked tentatively. "You think they might find us?" I couldn't fully conceal the worry in my voice. Suddenly, the idea of being back in my little unit was highly appealing.
"No, no, it's fine," he assured me. "Seriously, you can sleep easy, Paige. Nothing's going to happen. The worst is over for now."
He smiled comfortingly, as the light on the ceiling began to flicker. I darted my eyes upwards, as a sprinkle of dust began falling. I could hear footsteps up there, a couple of pairs marching along heavily.
"Other Variants?" I asked. "How many stay here?"
"It has a capacity for twenty or so, I think," he said. His eyes looked up to the ceiling, beneath a mild frown. "Sounds like they're heading out there," he said.
"Outside? Is that a good idea?"
"Might be a bit more dangerous, I guess, but they know the risks. You can't get in or out without Lenny knowing. He'll tell them what's been going on."
"Right. And what will they do out there?" I leaned forward, much like Becca did when she questioned me on my secret world. Now, it was my turn to be drawn in, fascinated by this network of Variants that still worked to try to destabilise the system. At least, I imagined that was their goal.
"Well, information gathering most likely," he told me. "Most of our resources are being put to a single purpose right now."
"Mantis," I said. "You're trying to get him?"
He nodded, sighing deeply. "It hasn't been easy," he said, looking vaguely towards the door. "Mantis's influence and power has been growing incrementally for some time now, just as our own resources have dwindled. His network is huge, hundreds of criminals, many of them bionically upgraded on the black market. They call themselves Bugs, some of them with weird, insect-like upgrades like their master. They're all ill-techs, of course, but the custodians don't care..."
"Because he's got the backing of the Controller?"
"Exactly. He's just another arm of the state, really, privatising crime here. It's as corrupt as you could imagine, but it benefits the Controller greatly. Mantis helps hunt Variants, and makes the Bends even more violent and dangerous. The result?" He shook his head listlessly. "Places like Southbank seem more attractive to the general population. They hear about the terror of living here, and feel more happy and comfortable in their lives. All it really does is deepen the Controller's influence on them." He cocked a brow. "It's smart, I guess. I'll give him that at least."
"Smart, cruel, and corrupt. A pretty lethal combination."
"Then you see what we're dealing with."
"And that's what's been keeping you busy?" I asked. His warm brown eyes linked with mine under the flickering light. "I went over to your safe-house near my unit several times," I went on. "Ever since I met you on Monday, I've been itching to see you again."
He grinned at the comment, enjoying the wording. "You have, Paige? I don't know what to say. But I think we should keep this strictly professional for now."
"Ha ha. Very humorous, Ford. You know what I mean."
"Of course I know what you mean. And I know you've been coming to the safe-house too."
"Right, of course. You have cameras there, I assume?"
"A few," he said casually. "Some are mine. Others are ones I've hacked. Official state surveillance that I can access. It's very helpful being able to get into the network."
"You did that yourself?"
"You sound impressed," he said.
I shrugged, trying to show I wasn't.
"I have a few skills of my own," he continued. "Hacking is one of them."
"And speed," I told him. "That was clear enough earlier tonight."
"A necessary asset for any effective soldier," he nodded. "Whether Variant or Reaper, you need advanced speed to be fully effective in most combat situations. We only employ soldiers who have that ability."
"And is there anything else you can do? Any other...powers?" I didn't really like the word. It sounded a bit silly off my tongue.
"You know, I don't think it's wise to reveal everything on a first date," he smiled. "Where would the mystery be then?"
"So that's it," I countered, nodding to myself. "You have the power of being cocky? Though I suppose you think it's charming."
"And you evidently have the power of wit. So we're square on useless gifts."
I couldn't help the smile from lifting on my lips. I had to admit, I enjoyed the exchange.
"Anyway, yes, I knew you were trying to find me, and no, I didn't come and see you sooner," he said. "I wanted you to wait it out a bit, be sure that you were interested. Time is a greater revealer. I knew what path you'd take here tonight, and kept watch. I have to say, I was glad when I spotted you."
"And yet you didn't just intervene sooner? Might have saved us some trouble tonight."
"Um, yeah. That was my bad." He frowned at me. "What were you coming in for, anyway? I saw you heading up to the riverbank. Doing some trading?"
I nodded
and drew out my pistol, tapping on the circular switch. "Needed a replacement part."
"Right. And after?"
I shrugged. "Just...not much."
"Not much? You were headed towards the Crossing, Paige." He peered closely at me. "This is about Mantis, isn't it? You were trying to get info on him too."
I breathed out a sigh. Lying would be pointless. "Yeah, something like that," I said. "I just wanted to see if I could spot him. I know he isn't shy of showing his face. I guess I didn't have much more in mind than that."
"Well good thing you didn't make it over there. Mantis is known for having a good eye for spotting Variants. And seeing how you struggle to keep your emotions in check, that sounds like a dangerous combination. But," he said, raising his voice, "it's nice to see that you hate him as much as we do. I can see it in your face. You want revenge for the Variants he's killed."
"And you want, what? To get info from him. About the Controller. About this weapon you mentioned?"
He nodded slowly. "There's a lot more going on than you realise, Paige. Mantis may hold a few answers that will help us. He's part of the bigger picture. And I won't hide the fact that we want you to help us in this struggle."
I didn't scoff that time, or grow uncomfortable. Somehow, the events of that evening had shifted my focus, changed me a little. You learned a few things about yourself when you faced up with your own mortality. I knew, then, that I could stand and fight when I needed to, without being overcome by fear. I knew that, one way or another, I couldn't truly go back to what I was now.
Oh, I'd have to figure something out, of course. I'd have to make sure that mother and Becca remained safe. But one way or another, I wanted to help. I had stepped into the rabbit hole now, and wanted to know where it would lead.
I squared Ford up. "What is it you want me to do?"
12
"We want you to kill the Controller."
I stared at Ford, unblinking, the air seeming to still in the room. His chin was set, expression quite serious. He patiently awaited my response.
"You...want me to..." I couldn't utter the words, they were so preposterous. I took a gulp of air, my throat suddenly feeling so dry. "To...kill the..."
His expression cracked, just a little, like the first little break in an eggshell.
My eyes narrowed on him. "You're joking?"
The crack broke into a full fissure, his lips widening, lungs bursting out in laughter. It filled the small room, bouncing off the stone walls. He shook his head to himself a few times, speaking through his infuriating hysterics.
"I'm so...I'm so sorry, Paige...I just couldn't help it."
My eyes flattened further, turning to slits. I felt profoundly relieved and foolish at the same time. For a moment I thought he was serious.
I turned away as he managed to compose himself, doing so quickly enough as he saw my fuming expression. His laughter ended quite quickly, his breathing a little heavy as he licked his lips and straightened himself out.
"Sorry," he breathed. "That was in poor taste. It's...um, it's just a little game we play with new recruits. We all do it."
"And how many of those new recruits change their minds?" I asked, looking to the door. It seemed very appealing again. I felt indignant enough that I might very well walk out.
I suppose that just meant that I needed to lighten up.
Ford, however, was sensitive enough to cover his tracks. A further apology sprung from his lips, the third in quick succession. Without his laughter, I felt stupid now that I couldn't accept the joke. I had to admit, it was a bit amusing. From his side at least.
I cracked a smile to show him I was over it. "You had me there for a second," I managed to say.
"Well, most realise it's a joke immediately," he said. "I guess it says something about your self confidence that you thought I was serious. Even for a second."
"Er, no. I was just trying to comprehend what you were asking. I didn't think you were being real there, Ford."
"Hmmm, I'm not so sure. It's a compliment, really. You know you're capable of a lot. I'm sure with the right resources and support you'd be able to make a real difference."
"Yeah, a difference. Saving a cat from a tree is making a difference to someone. It's all relative. But killing the Controller?" I scoffed. "No one could do that. And if they could, it would have been done already."
"Well, yes and no. I'm a firm believer that, with enough planning and perfect execution, anyone can be killed."
"But not the Controller. You're not actively trying to assassinate him, are you?"
He shook his head. "Currently, no," he said. "We've tried before, and got close, but that was all before my time. The VLA was once much stronger than it is now. Once upon a time, we were a proper threat to the state. Now, we're becoming little more than a mild irritant."
I nodded along, as my mother's words from a few nights ago resonated in my head. About how the VLA suffered great losses about the time that I was born. Losses that forced my father to try to seek help.
My eyes turned to the door, however, and glanced up to the ceiling. "Seems you're doing OK," I said. "My mum thought you'd been wiped out already."
"We try to stay hidden if we can. We've been hanging on, getting the odd new recruit, but compared to how it once was?" He shook his head. "We're on our last legs."
"But that's all you've known, right? How old are you, anyway?"
"Twenty," he said. "I can vaguely recall the better times, but that was a long time ago now."
"And you grew up within the VLA? You've never been a part of the system?"
"VLA born and bred," he said, proudly. "It's deep in my blood. Much like it is yours, Paige."
The room quietened as he looked at me, the two of us sitting opposite one another on those twin beds. Here he was, a young man who'd grown up within the VLA. And here was me, who might have if my father hadn't left, now just about learning what it was to live as a rebel.
"Did you know my father?" I found myself asking, breaking the temporary quiet. "I mean, you would have been a small child, but..." I shrugged. "I just wondered."
"I remember him," he said softly. "At least, a vague image. You know, don't you? Your mother told you?"
I nodded. "Carson, your surname. She mentioned a soldier with that name, who fought with my dad. He was your father?"
He raised a faint smile, confirming what I'd suspected, confirming the loose bond we shared. I felt connected to him, just that little bit more. Connected to this entire movement. It was a subtle, but profound feeling inside me, a light in the dark spaces of my mind. I had lived alone, distant from my people, distant from the truth. It felt good to know that I had a connection to them, that I'd found a place where I could belong.
"What happened to him?" I asked softly. "Did he die during the purge back then, when everything went wrong?"
His face, which had held a sombre look, shifted into a frown. "Oh no," he said. "My father isn't dead."
My eyes lifted. "He isn't? I just assumed..." I shook my head, not quite sure why I had thought he was dead. "I assumed he'd been killed."
"Despite his best efforts, he remains alive and kicking," Ford said. I sensed something in his voice, some difficulty in the relationship, perhaps. "He's one of our senior soldiers, commands most of our ops. He's probably number two in the organisation, after Harkin."
"And...where are they? Do you have an official base somewhere?"
My mind worked to imagine where it might be. In the city somewhere, probably. Getting out and in wasn't easy, and would be an unnecessary risk seeing how well protected the city limits were. Down in the old underground, where the tube trains once ran, perhaps? Or was that too obvious and restrictive? It might not be smart to be locked down below ground somewhere. At least, not unless you had a few secret ways out...
As was common, my head burst with possibilities before Ford laid out the actual answer. I was prone to doing that. My mind had an impatience to it, a habit of tryi
ng to work out the truth before it was officially revealed.
"We don't have a specific, permanent base, no," Ford informed me. "We just operate out of the safe-houses. We used to have somewhere like that, but it was raided and destroyed. Harkin likes to keep moving now. Makes us harder to track and detect."
I nodded. "Smart. I'd like to meet him. And your father. My mother has never been particularly talkative about what my dad was like. I have some memories of him, but they're vague. I'd like to know what he was like to work with. As a soldier, you know."
"Good, is what I've heard. Great, even."
Surprisingly, my chest didn't clench as it usually would when discussing my father. I felt open to hearing more of him, without the pain that came with it. This was new information, after all, not the same, repeated words of my mother. It was nice to hear a fresh perspective. It made me feel proud.
I looked at Ford with shining eyes, a smile curving on my lips. "He was?"
"So my father says. And Harkin." He smiled back at me. "Why do you think he sent me out to recruit you? 'If she's her father's daughter, we could use her help', Harkin told me. But, you're different from him too. More, perhaps. I was sent to bring you in because our pasts are linked. But, of course, the choice of whether you help us is yours."
We had circled back around, back to the very reason he, and they, wanted me to join. I was eager to hear what was expected of me, and though I felt comfortable in Ford's presence, remained slightly wary of what I might be required to do. Especially if it might put my loved ones at risk.
"So?" I asked him. "If not killing the Controller, what do you want from me? I'm guessing you're not bringing me in because of my charming personality." I raised an easy smile. "This has something to do with my tech and design skills, doesn't it?"
He looked at me quietly for a moment, some fondness in his eyes. "It's your point of difference," he said, nodding kindly. "We have some very smart people in the VLA, but no one with your particular ingenuity. Tell me, how have you managed to evade the Variant scanners so far? You scramble the output somehow, conceal your signature?"
